Detachable tie-back for drapes and curtains



p 1932- c. E. SCHINKAL 1,876,026

DETACHABLE TIE-BACK FOR DRAPES AND CURTAINS Filed Aug. 25, 1930 INVENILOR ctEMsz-l; inlcaL qukg mm ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PAT-EN oFFic CLARENCE E. SCHINKAL, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Application filed August 25, 1930. Serial No. 477,640.

This invention relates to tie or hold-back devices for window or door curtains or drapes of that character which normally hang free from and supported only by a top rod or hanger.

As far as I can ascertain, all such devices for the purpose as are now on the market or have been devised are of such a nature that they must be permanently screwed or otherto wise secured to the window casing. This not only mars the woodwork if it is ever desired to remove the devices, but it at all times renders awkward the cleaning or refinishing of the woodwork when necessary.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a tie-back which avoids the above objectionable features by reason of the fact that it is constructed so as to detachably engage the window or door casing. The device can therefore be instantly removed or applied whenever desired, or adjusted to difierent heights without any Work and without any possible marring of the woodwork.

The device is therefore not only suitable for the use of householders as a more or less permanently installed attachment, but is also useful for window washers, decorators or other artisans who sometimes desire to move the curtains out of the Way while working without taking them down from their supports.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device, and yet one which will be exceedingly efi'ective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is an interior outline of a curtained 5 window showing my detachable tie-backs as installed in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a tie-back detached.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan of a window casing, showing the mounting and positioning of a tie-back in connection there w1t V 7 Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing,- the device is constructed of a single strip of resilient and thin but relatively stifi sheet metal of suitable character. Said strip is initially in the form of a fiat blank being then bent to the'desired shape This shape is such that the strip from one end to the other is formed as a straight portion 1, a short transversely extending straight portion 2, another straight portion 3 substantially parallel to the portion 1 and doubling back relative to thesame,'a semicircular curved portion 1, and a final straight portion'oparallel to and doubling back on the portion 3. This latter portion preferably extends'beyond theplane of the transverse portion 2'somewhat. As will be evident from the above description and from the drawing, the device is therefore of sub stantially S-shaped form. The outerendof the portion 1 is formed with an enlarged and preferably arrow-shaped head 6, while the outer end of the portion 5 is also preferably formed with a similar shaped head 7, mainly for the purposes of ornamentation.

In applying the device to a window casing the portion 1 is slipped between the wall- 8 and the vertical casing member 9 at the desired height, so that the portion 2' abuts against the casing on the vertical transverse edge of the same furthest from the window, as shown in Fig. 3. This can be easily done in almost any residential building, in erecting which the casings are mounted in vposition after the plastering is finished.- There is therefore always a crack left between the plaster and easing of suflicient width to receive the thin metal .of the portion 1 of the tie-back.

The greater width of the head 6 relative. to the remainder of the device gives the same. greater stability against possible tipping than would otherwise be the case without making the device as a whole unduly wide. This also provides a pointed end which facilitatesthe initial projection of the portion 1 into place. If the space or crackv between the plaster and casing is too wide to afford the necessary frictional grip on the portion 1, such grip is obtained by the cooperation of the portions 1 and 3. This is because the normal spacing between said portions toward their free ends is somewhat less than the thickness of the casing 9, as shown in Fig. 3, so that said casing is pinched on both sides by said portions of the device. When the device is thus mounted in place, the curved portion 4 faces toward the window, and the portions 3, 4 and 5 form a hook or crotch in which the. gathers of the curtain or drape may be caught and held back. The space between the portions 3 and 5 is greater than that between the portions 1 and 3, or so as to be sufiicient to properly receive the gathers of the curtain without undue crowding or cramping of the same.

The exterior or exposed surface of the device is preferably colored and also ornamented in any manner as at 10 to suit the taste of the customer and to conform to the color or decoration scheme of the furnishings or room in which the tie-backs are to be used.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of th invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from thespiritof the invention,

as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A curtain holder comprising a relativelynarrow flat strip having its ends bent into reverse hook portions one end being adapted to be inserted between a window casing and wall and such end terminating in an arrow head having relatively wide barbs, whereby the point of the arrow head will permit ready insertion of the same back of the easing and the projecting barbs of the arrow will maintain the holder against lateral canting action.

2. A curtain holder comprising a resilient metal strip bent to form reverse hook portions, one of said portions being adapted to straddle a window casing and the outer side 7 thereof being shorter than the inner side;

said sides at the open end of the hook being closer to each other than at the opposite end and a lesser distance apart than the thickness of the casing, whereby the sides of said hook portion when engaged with a casing will frictionally grip the same at directly opposed points; said inner side toward the open end of the hook being relatively wide.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE E. SCHINKAL. 

